Obey: Tax the rich if you want troops for Afghanistan

posted at 10:55 am on November 23, 2009 by Ed Morrissey

If Barack Obama sends more troops to Afghanistan, it will spell the end for the progressive agenda in the US, says Rep. David Obey (D-WI). Obey tells ABC that any increase in troops in the Af-Pak theater had better be accompanied by a surtax on the rich, or he won’t support it. Obey also engages in some historical illiteracy to make his point:

“There ain’t going to be no money for nothing if we pour it all into Afghanistan,” House Appropriations Chairman David Obey told ABC News in an exclusive interview. “If they ask for an increased troop commitment in Afghanistan, I am going to ask them to pay for it.” …

Obey, a Democrat from Wisconsin, made it clear that he is absolutely opposed tosending any more U.S. troops to Afghanistanand says if Obama decides to do that, he’ll demand a new tax — what he calls a “war surtax” — to pay for it.

“On the merits, I think it is a mistake to deepen our involvement,” Obey said. “But if we are going to do that, then at least we ought to pay for it. Because if we don’t, if we don’t pay for it, the cost of the Afghan war will wipe out every initiative we have to rebuild our own economy.”

If this sounds more like an excuse to tax the rich than to achieve fiscal discipline, you’re probably recalling Obey’s role in the $787 billion Porkulus disaster. When Obey pushed that bill, he didn’t have any concerns about the “stupid” decisions that would be done with the money, or whether Congress had any control over how the money got spent. “So what?” was Obey’s response to NPR.

Obey tells ABC that wars always end progressive agendas:

Such a high war cost, he warns, will make it impossible to pay for any of Obama’s major domestic initiatives.

“That’s what happened with the Vietnam War, which wiped out [President Lyndon Johnson's social program] the Great Society,” Obey said. “That’s what happened with the Korean War, which wiped out Harry Truman’s Square Deal. That’s what happened with the end of the progressive movement before the ’20s when we went into World War I. In each case, the cost of those wars shut off our ability to pay for anything else.”

There is so much foolishness in this statement that’s almost impossible to unpack it all. But I’ll try:

So far, Obey and his Democratic allies haven’t shown how they will pay for Obama’s domestic initiatives now, even without any further war funding. Every single program they’ve proposed will add to the deficit, including Obey’s Porkulus bill.

The Great Society programs didn’t end with the Vietnam War. We still have them around, especially Medicare, which has grown massively since LBJ. We only curtailed LBJ’s welfare program in the mid-90s because of its stultifying effects and runaway costs, and we weren’t in a shooting war when we did it. What program does Obey think got cut from LBJ’s agenda?

We went into World War I in 1917, and came out in 1919. “Before the ’20s” sounds as though Obey thinks the war was in that decade, but even without that, the progressive agenda had plenty of time (and prosperity) in that decade to succeed if people wanted it. It died of its own accord, not because of war.

And for that matter, did World War II end the New Deal? We still have FDR’s stamp all over federal government.

If we choose to pursue a more aggressive strategy in Afghanistan, it will be to protect our national security by denying radical Islamists a base in that region with which to launch more attacks against the US. The federal government has a constitutional duty to act in the national defense. It does not have a constitutional duty to reorder the American economy, and in fact doesn’t have the authority or jurisdiction to do it anyway. Obey’s progressive agenda has much less legitimacy than the pursuit of America’s enemies by America’s military.

Breaking on Hot Air

Blowback

Note from Hot Air management: This section is for comments from Hot Air's community of registered readers. Please don't assume that Hot Air management agrees with or otherwise endorses any particular comment just because we let it stand. A reminder: Anyone who fails to comply with our terms of use may lose their posting privilege.

What gets me is that he also said this: “wipe out every initiative we have to rebuild our own economy.”

We don’t need to “rebuild” our economy, we need to strengthen it! Rebuilding is like whn you want to leave capitalism (that made us the richest nation in the world) and become socialists, communists, facscists, or just plan statists.

Yeah, that’s a great electoral strategery. Holding “the rich” hostage in order to send more troops to Afghanistan. And aren’t they already planning to soak “the rich”(along with everyone else) to pay for Obamacare and every other part of their domestic agenda? What exactly will the top income tax rate be when all is said and done? 50%? 60%?

We went into World War II in 1917, and came out in 1919. “Before the ’20s” sounds as though Obey thinks the war was in that decade, but even without that, the progressive agenda had plenty of time (and prosperity) in that decade to succeed if people wanted it. It died of its own accord, not because of war.

Ummm… World War I was from 1914 – 1918 (11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month 1918)

This is all the fault of those evil war mongering Republicans. This un-necessary war that Bush got us into is all their fault. That’s why we, the good and enlightened peaceful democrats who only want what is best for this country, are being forced to raise taxes.

It’s those evil republicans whose failed economic policies have brought ruin to our economy, and we can only save ourselves by raising taxes.

Obey just made a point in the press that I’ve been trying to say for a while now… Afghanistan is Obama’s Vietnam SOLELY IN THAT he’s half-*ssing the war because he wants to do a massive social program and doesn’t want to waste his political capital to fight a war correctly because of it.

As much as I hate the “every war is Vietnam!” argument, this one has a legitimate basis IMHO.

I do agree the war needs to be funded properly. That absolutely didn’t help the country to not do so under Bush.

Let’s correct course.

AnninCA on November 23, 2009 at 11:00 AM

Woman, I don’t know where you get your facts, but The Bush Administration never failed to provide for us where it was able. I am so sick of your ignorance or sick of your freaking lies whichever it is. The war was never underfunded under the Bush Administration.

What “is” going on is your man reducing my theaters budget by a couple billion dollars in operation funds for stateside programs. That’s money for operations and the gas to run them. It’s hard to keep the heat on IED emplacers when you can’t run an op to find them. What has also happened is your guy changing the ROE to where it is almost impossible to take a legal shot at IED emplacers without fear of legal repercussions. When you hear of the next kids getting their vehicle blown completely off of the God Damn road, look to your President for the answers to why it still happens and is actually on the increase here. What is also going on is that the theater commander that your guy handpicked, asked for 80,000 troops three months ago. Your guy knew about the contents of his request more than four months ago. The theater commander acquiesced to 40,000 to finish the job and obama still hasn’t come through on that! Again, we’re dying here and you talk and make up facts like you’re discussing some abstract topic at a freaking West Coast wineparty.

This is obama’s failure and not George Bush’s no matter how you libs try to spin it. You ask 100 servicemen and women whom they would want in charge and I guaren-freakin-tee you 90-95 percent would beg for the Bush Administration back.
Quit, quit trying to act like you’re the reasonable voice on this site when everyone knows you’re just a freaking Care Troll sewing your freaking little seeds of doubt. You know nothing, “NOTHING” about this war.

What a pathetic piece of shite. Why doesn’t Obey go back to the families of the soldiers and marines and tell them to pay for the bullets and body armor their sons and daughters need? Makes me wonder which place is more stupid, Wisconsin for putting Obey in Congress time after time after time after time after time…..or Minnesota for putting Al Franken in for the first time?

My prayers, and heart go out to you Hawkdriver, and all you serve with. I’m appalled at Obama’s handling of this war, and it makes me so angry. Anything said, or done, in the effort to hasten his decision, as with all things, falls on deaf ears.

Keep up the good fight, and know that there are those of us here, if we were ever to meet, would give you a big ol hug, and a BIG thank you for what you do to serve our nation, and keep us safe!!!

If you want to actually increase revenues, you are going to have to start taxing the poor again. To balance the budget, we have to cut “social” spending — cutting the military will only trash the economy in the near future as trade suffers.

Please know that we thankyou and pray for you daily. Don`t let these liberals trouble your heart. I have faith the tide will turn soon. I hope the truth about what they are doing gets reported and stopped. The only thing this admin is good for is showing how good Pres Bush was!

All these massive social progrqams that you champion come second to making war. Making war is sanctioned by the Constitution, wheras welfare and other government charities are not.

Yes, “let’s correct course” let’s get rid of everything not specified by the constitution. Let’s round up those who wish to not respect their oath to defend it and let’s have the America that our founder’s promised.

I am so sorry for you folks in Wisconsin. I know, I am in PA and have a liberal a$$hole too. You folks really need to lose this jerk, he is about as rude and ignorant asthey come on Capitol hill, and that is saying alot……..*sigh*….

I just cannot stand the lies being perpetuated about George Bush and Dick Cheney. And you know what, Don Rumsfeld too. I would take any one of those “statesmen” as CinC over this “political puppet” of George Soros. For the media and the Donks; there was no success they’d report when President Bush was in charge and no failure and death toll milestone they’d fail to use as a knife in his back.

It’s just nice to see once they get in complete power, they drop the facade of “supporting the troops” even though they don’t support the war. They have never supported either.

If we choose to pursue a more aggressive strategy in Afghanistan, it will be to protect our national security by denying radical Islamists a base in that region with which to launch more attacks against the US. The federal government has a constitutional duty to act in the national defense. It does not have a constitutional duty to reorder the American economy, and in fact doesn’t have the authority or jurisdiction to do it anyway. Obey’s progressive agenda has much less legitimacy than the pursuit of America’s enemies by America’s military.

The arrogance and hypocrisy of these people is utter madness. They have no trouble wasting billions of dollars on bailouts for their buddies on Wall Street or passing billion dollar boondoggle health care bill. Borrowed money gets sprinkled around like pixie dust…for future generations to repay. But when it comes to adding more troops suddenly they cry poor. Disgusting. Failures, they’re complete failures.

it will be to protect our national security by denying radical Islamists a base in that region with which to launch more attacks against the US.

Heh. If I was a Muslim, I think I’d prefer to do my planning in some Muslim owned office tower in Manhattan, like the one Iran owns that got noticed last week. Of course, If I were a Muslim, I’d keep a distraction fire burning in the Afghan landfill anyway, just to bleed you of money, morale and willpower.

Ain’t is proper English as it is a contraction of the words “are” and “not”. It is mainly a colloquialism now as it has not carried into modern times.
When we were running the Brittish back to England, this was the Kings English.

You are most welcome. While I can’t imagine the daily grind you all go thru, I can empathize, and feel the anger. I feel that immensely. My family has always been strong supporters of our troops. Let me extend the thank you. If you’re ever in the Houston area, you come by for dinner. You’re always welcome here!

Anninca or whatever your name is…..Please get off our blog, you are a disgrace. I am with Hawk, as I have a niece and a nephew, God bless their patriotic hearts, who both re-upped while W was in office, and now wish they had known what a jerk the cic is now. They both, and their friends do not want to work for this pres or this congress, but they have taken an oath, so they do it day in and day out, but really miss W and the type of caring cic he was.. Just like Hawk and all our other brave hearts over there. They deserve so much better than this piece of crap government we have now, thanks to YOU and your ilk..Go away, and stay away.

And as if the difference between Conservatives and Donks wasn’t apparent enough, God always sends me a sign to cement my suspicions.

As I was sitting here in the CP disgusted at the politics that libs like Olbey and AnninCA inject into what we’re doing, the Detachment Commander walks in with a Care Package from NaCly Dog from Hot Air. I must be turning into a jaded old soldier because I never seem to be at a loss for angry words for our detractors but never seem to be able to find the correct words to accurately describe the feeling of getting a care package from one of you. We’re humbled and the timing couldn’t have been better. I appreciate that you all send letters too with all of the gifts of snacks and hand warmers and toiletries. Our enlisted guys love you all for this and I thank you personally for them. Cindy Munford, UpinAK and NaCly Dog thank you all so very much!

NaCly Dog, I’ll be sending a personal letter of thanks back to you. And to you, Cindy and AK, please expect something special from the Detachment in return.

Oh, I guess that being a lib puts you above all us Neanderthals who love our country and care about our troops and their mission. In that case, I’m proud to be one of the Neanderthals. I have a son in the Navy and a daughter who has made the Marines her career.

Obey is a worthless clown. All that fake “down home” speech to convince us he’s one of the people doesn’t cut any ice with me, or anyone else with half a brain. He’s an elitist politician who cares only for his rotten agenda and to hell with America and American troops. So what if they die? He’s got his power and all the trappings that go with it.

I’ve beed saying it for a while: Obama doesn’t give a damn about the military. He has not made a decision on troops for Afghanistan because he is waiting to get Healthcare passed. I know it in my heart. Obama cannot afford to be seen as anything like GW to his base, thats why he tried to close GITMO, that is why he tried to prosecute the CIA, and that is why we are seeing KSM take the stage in NYC. All of this has one thing in common. It’s being done to outrage and distract every citizen and potential roadblock to getting universal healthcare past the house and onto his desk. Obama is a political suicide bomber. He couldn’t care less about his second term.

An interesting attempt to get monies for military families, which failed.

S.Amdt. 2785 to S. 1963 (Caregivers and Veterans Omnibus Health Services Act of 2009)
Statement of Purpose: To transfer funding for the United Nations contributions to offset costs of providing assistance to family caregivers of disabled veterans.

Hawkdriver, if you could, post an address? I’ll be baking cookies soon, and would like to send you a package to share with others. Let me know if there’s anything else I can send, and I’ll do my best to get it for you all!

I can’t wait to vote Obey out. He’s another military hating big government spending democrat who does not represent the interests of his district. Does he even know how many Wisconsin Soldiers are deployed right now? I swear, 2010 cannot come soon enough. Go Sean go.

I do agree the war needs to be funded properly. That absolutely didn’t help the country to not do so under Bush.

AnninCA on November 23, 2009 at 11:00 AM

On the other hand, there is never a need to “properly fund” the domestic programs that you do agree with.

MarkTheGreat on November 23, 2009 at 11:19 AM

You’re both right. The government doesn’t even do the jobs it’s SUPPOSED to be doing without massive overruns in cost and time, and ‘cutting back’ on military programs too often means blindly slashing funding, with the resulting money ‘saved’ being squandered on pork.